Sunday, November 1, 2009

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) and SAMAA Television signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday for launching an educational program entitled “Cultivating Hope”, which aims to empower youth in creating, debating and finding solutions to the increasing extremism in Pakistan. One of the key activities of the program is an Inter-University Documentary Competition across Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Javaid R. Laghari, the Chairman HEC congratulated SAMAA TV for launching a much-needed initiative for the youth of Pakistan. “This program will help eradicate the menace of extremism from society and hopefully other media organizations will follow suit.”

Dr. Sohail Naqvi said, “The entire nation, especially educated people, must join hands to take our country out of this worst crisis. It is high time to think about the factors that have led to extreme behavior. An educated youth will help address this crucial element which has become a serious challenge for the nation. This program will provide a platform to the university students to research the causes of extremism and put forward suggestions for solving the problem.”

Mr. Amir Jahangir said, “This partnership with HEC aims at engaging the Pakistani youth at a national level on a vital subject of “extremism in Pakistan”, which is now of crucial national importance. The current socio-political situation of Pakistan immediately calls for innovative measures to not only control the increasing extremism but to build an environment, where the awareness of such extreme acts, its impact on the life of the public and the development of the nation will play an eminent role in changing the mindsets of those who are unfortunate to be involved in such evil acts.”

“This program focus on empowering the youth to look into the measures, impact and results of extremism, which will only strengthen their minds to not only take distance to such thinking and behavior but to also play a role in educating their peers and surroundings on the horror of terrorism. The Cultivating Hope initiative will also promote the visual and liberal arts in the country’s education sphere as a form of creative expression and ideas”, said CEO, SAMAA TV.

Mr. Jahangir said that the program also includes outreach activities with the universities across Pakistan, where SAMAA TV will arrange lecturers on extremism by prominent scholars and youth role models. He specially acknowledged Mr. Syed Kamal Shah, Former Federal Secretary Interior for encouraging SAMAA TV to develop this concept and empower the youth.

The event was witnessed by universities across Pakistan through the facility of video conferencing. This initiative will provide over 600,000 students from 128 universities from all over Pakistan the opportunity to participate in the competition.

According to the partnership, the top three winners of the documentary competition will be awarded prizes amounting to Rs. 1,000,000, Rs. 500,000 and Rs. 300,000. They will also be offered a one-year job contract with SAMAA TV after completing their academic degrees.

SAMAA TV is one of Pakistan’s leading private satellite television channels, which takes pride in its fair, factual and independent news coverage through its on-the-hour bulletins, breaking stories, incisive political analysis and current affairs programs. The channel is the first media channel is Pakistan to have established a well-integrated Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program as part of it business activities. SAMAA TV’s CSR program carries various initiatives within health, education, environment and outreach programs focusing on improving the socio-economic situation of Pakistan.

The channel has also made a niche for itself through its programs on women and youth issues besides infotainment and sports. SAMAA TV, launched in December 2007 has network of district correspondents and five bureaus across Pakistan along with international stringers in the Middle East, Europe and North America.